696 Osborne St
204-452-2561
fax: 204-452-2573
December,
2012
Bouncing
over locations, this time Deseo lands at north Osborne, among some of Winnipeg’s most exciting destinations. This bipolar location features a dark,
subdued and cozy main floor and a white, bright upstairs centered by a plain
but stocked bar. The rustic but well
cushioned benches add a comfy touch, but not enough to overcome the butt-ugly
artwork. If you can, grab yourself a
seat downstairs, or at very least, face away from the portraits of mutant
monstrosities.
The Spanish-influenced
menu breaks down into two sections, meat dishes dominate the Big Bites section
but it’s the wide variety of Small Bites that grabs my attention. I wish that the Small Bites were a little
smaller so that I could try every one of them.
A number of Winnipeg’s restaurants claim to serve tapas
but each of them offer appetiser-sized portions where you’re filled after two
samplings. I want to see true Spanish
tapa portions where you only get a couple of bites each, leaving you room to
sample numerous dishes. Of course, you
would price the dishes accordingly so that it wouldn’t cost you a fortune to
satisfy your palate (think Chinese dim sum or Japanese sushi).
Rant aside,
the Small Bites aren’t so small, but they’re largely delicious. While the main ingredient grabs your
immediate attention, the symphony of accompaniments and sauces contribute to
make each dish complete. By themselves,
the seared scallops look nicely charred on the outside but it’s the miso and
cauliflower puree that adds a warm blanket to the shellfish, and the fried
capers that give a crisp texture. The
mini grapefruit segments add lovely colour to this eye-appealing creation, and
the bright caviar zaps the dish with some saltiness. The server suggests a combination of all
ingredients to give the perfect bite, but you’ll get quite a challenge trying
to balance everything onto your fork. In
the midst of this cacophony of flavours, I almost forget that the scallops are
overcooked, dried and a little tough.
It’s easy to see that a lot of care went into this dish so I’ll give
benefit of doubt that this is just an oversight.
Similarly,
you can feel the care that went into preparing the Nagano Pork Belly, crisp and
seared on the outside while moist and juicy on the inside. The peach kimchi and green onions work
together to cut through the inherent greasy nature of the pork belly—absolutely
delicious.
Equally
delicious, the Confit of Rabbit comes swimming in a pool of wild mushrooms,
which provides a lovely crunch to complement the wild flavours. Crumbled bacon injects some saltiness to the
affair and the poached egg gives goo to the brew. It might be just me but I think a little bit
of egg yolk makes everything taste better.
The Smoked
Flank Steak Tartar also comes topped with an egg but alas, the diminutive quail
egg does not yield enough yolk to blend into the meat mixture. The hazelnut and parsley condiment doesn’t
have quite enough flavour to take the beef to the next level. I would have liked to see a stronger herb or
more smoke to the tartar to elevate this dish.
The caviar best partners the beef, boosting the texture and
salinity.
The
Sweetbreads of the Moment have tantalising texture as the crunchiness of the
meat battles the crispness of the breading.
This is possibly the best meal on the menu but unfortunately, most
people will skip over it because of fear of the unknown or the unfamiliar.
If you feel
like something lighter, Deseo offers a number of interesting salads, including
the Warm Beet Salad, zinged with gorgonzola cheese. Again, the texture theme recurs with the
addition of pea shoots and fried pistachios.
Deseo
offers a comprehensive selection of wines to complement your meals but with
such a miscellany of flavours in each dish, matching your wines may be a steep
challenge. As an alternative, you have
the choice of a number of intriguing beers.
What catches my eyes the most is the cocktail menu, with some genuinely
alluring blends. What exactly is “hair
of the dog?” Unfortunately, our server
admits to being a novice behind the bar and it shows. Hint for the future: you do not need surgical accuracy when
pouring the drinks. An extra ounce here
and there makes for a happier customer.
Cheers to a wonderful dining experience.
**** /5
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This is a free product that I'm happy to bring to you. If you enjoyed reading this, please consider clicking on the accompanying ads. This is the only payment I receive for offering this public service. Thank you as always for reading.
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